38
J. Wang
Stage III (1992–2002): establishment of the sustainable development strategy
During this period, China’s cities and industrial parks developed rapidly, resulting in
a decline in the total area of arable land and an increase in environmental pollution.
The Huaihe River Basin and other areas faced serious environmental problems and
sandstorms in Beijing became stronger and more frequent. The Yellow River dried up
at some points for the first time in 1998. There was a folk song at the time, depicting
the serious problem of environmental pollution in the country. According to the song,
water in in the Huaihe River could be used to wash rice and vegetables in the 1950s
and irrigate farmland in the 1960s, water quality in the river began to deteriorate in
the 1970s, almost all fish and shrimps in the river died in the 1980s, and in the 1990s,
the water quality further deteriorated.
During this period, the Chinese government launched the “One Control and Two
Standards” program, requesting that by 2000, the country’s gross pollutant discharge
should be no higher than the 1995 level, and all environmental function zones and
industrial pollution sources should meet relevant standards. In order to solve the
pollution problem, the state has decided to launch the “33211” pollution control
program for three rivers (Huaihe River, Haihe River, and Liaohe River), three lakes
(Dianchi Lake, Taihu Lake, and Chaohu Lake), two control areas (sulfur dioxide
and acid rain control areas), one city (Beijing) and one sea (the Bohai Sea). The
implementation of the program led to significant improvement in environmental
quality in key river basins. The country also launched a number of key environmental
pollution control projects nationwide to control the total amount of major pollutants,
as well as six key environmental remediation projects, including the project to turn
farmland back to forests. It also implemented a dedicated action plan for pollution
control for the Huaihe River and the Taihu Lake.
The Chinese government also developed a sustainable development strategy
during this period. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Brazil in 1992, the concept of sustainable development was put forward
and Agenda 21 was adopted. China attended the conference as a developing country
and soon compiled China’s Agenda 21: White Paper on China’s Population, Environment and Development in the 21st Century and formulated its own sustainable
development goals in 1994. In 1998, the Chinese government promoted the State
Environmental Protection Administration from vice-ministerial to the ministerial
level and stepped up environment protection efforts.
Stage IV (2002–2012): implementation of the scientific development concept
During this period, China began to emphasize both speed and quality of economic
development. Environmental issues were included in the key considerations of
the scientific development concept, and the importance of the transformation of
economic growth model was also emphasized. The country began to embark on a
sustainable development path by building capacities required for sustainable development, improving the environment and life quality of citizens, raising the efficiency
of resource utilization, and promoting harmony between human beings and nature.
J. Wang
Stage III (1992–2002): establishment of the sustainable development strategy
During this period, China’s cities and industrial parks developed rapidly, resulting in
a decline in the total area of arable land and an increase in environmental pollution.
The Huaihe River Basin and other areas faced serious environmental problems and
sandstorms in Beijing became stronger and more frequent. The Yellow River dried up
at some points for the first time in 1998. There was a folk song at the time, depicting
the serious problem of environmental pollution in the country. According to the song,
water in in the Huaihe River could be used to wash rice and vegetables in the 1950s
and irrigate farmland in the 1960s, water quality in the river began to deteriorate in
the 1970s, almost all fish and shrimps in the river died in the 1980s, and in the 1990s,
the water quality further deteriorated.
During this period, the Chinese government launched the “One Control and Two
Standards” program, requesting that by 2000, the country’s gross pollutant discharge
should be no higher than the 1995 level, and all environmental function zones and
industrial pollution sources should meet relevant standards. In order to solve the
pollution problem, the state has decided to launch the “33211” pollution control
program for three rivers (Huaihe River, Haihe River, and Liaohe River), three lakes
(Dianchi Lake, Taihu Lake, and Chaohu Lake), two control areas (sulfur dioxide
and acid rain control areas), one city (Beijing) and one sea (the Bohai Sea). The
implementation of the program led to significant improvement in environmental
quality in key river basins. The country also launched a number of key environmental
pollution control projects nationwide to control the total amount of major pollutants,
as well as six key environmental remediation projects, including the project to turn
farmland back to forests. It also implemented a dedicated action plan for pollution
control for the Huaihe River and the Taihu Lake.
The Chinese government also developed a sustainable development strategy
during this period. At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Brazil in 1992, the concept of sustainable development was put forward
and Agenda 21 was adopted. China attended the conference as a developing country
and soon compiled China’s Agenda 21: White Paper on China’s Population, Environment and Development in the 21st Century and formulated its own sustainable
development goals in 1994. In 1998, the Chinese government promoted the State
Environmental Protection Administration from vice-ministerial to the ministerial
level and stepped up environment protection efforts.
Stage IV (2002–2012): implementation of the scientific development concept
During this period, China began to emphasize both speed and quality of economic
development. Environmental issues were included in the key considerations of
the scientific development concept, and the importance of the transformation of
economic growth model was also emphasized. The country began to embark on a
sustainable development path by building capacities required for sustainable development, improving the environment and life quality of citizens, raising the efficiency
of resource utilization, and promoting harmony between human beings and nature.